Obama's plan restricts assault weapons, increases background checks

NRA opposes most of president's proposal, calls him an 'elitist hypocrite'

9:28 AM,
Jan. 17, 2013

Gun dealer Brad Marshall, of Marshall Firearms in Boscawen, N.H., talks with customers about President Obama's gun proposal. Sales of guns and ammunition have soared over the past few months in anticipation of tougher gun laws.

Written by

David Jackson and Aamer Madhani
USA Today

President Barack Obama unveiled the most sweeping set of gun-control proposals in two decades Wednesday, a package that includes universal background checks on all gun buyers and a renewed ban on "military-style" assault weapons.

Obama also proposed restrictions on ammunition magazines to no more than 10 rounds, as well as new school safety and mental health programs, all designed to prevent shootings like the one last month at an elementary school in Connecticut.

"This is our first task as a society, keeping our children safe," he said at a White House ceremony. "This is how we will be ...